Of Thunder and Lightning, the tale of Oberon and Titania.
Part three, Mistrust leads to deterioration….
Disclaimer: Yes, Shakespeare…I know…
(And this is back in Titania's POV.)
Oberon and I were having slight issues…I feared for our love. It had been a mortal year since our marriage, and in that year, Oberon had been seen about less and less. We only attended formal events together, and nothing else. He did not sleep beside me, He did not kiss me much, and he did not show much affection to me…but My nymphs and companions had been whispering things…rumors...viscious rumors about him disguising himself as a human shepherd, and seducing women to romance with...needless to say, I wept bitterly, and as I wept, flowers around me wilted.
"My lady Titania…are you all right?" My head faerie asked me timidly peeking out from a wilting bush.
"No…I am not…but do not speak of this to anyone." I said, rising from the ground, as I wiped away my tears, and restored the plants. If he was going to destroy our marriage…then I had no reason not to enjoy myself, and that is how I came upon the noble duke Theseus.
I was walking about the wood, my hair down as if I were not wedded with white gardenias in it, dressed in a flowing white garment, when I saw him.
No no, I did not see him at first…I heard his hunting dogs barking, as they caught my scent…and I froze, having never been seen by mortal eyes before…but the mighty duke was perfect. He was tall, well muscled, yet lean with shaggy red-gold hair. His piercing green eyes nearly matched my own emerald doe-eyes, and upon seeing me, He froze as well…I stayed half behind a willow tree.
"Goddess." He whispered, dropping to his knees as his hounds were silenced.
"I am no goddess…" I replied with a smile, standing in front of him, strangely shy.
"You must be…to have such beauty..." He replied smiling, and kissing my hands…it did not take long for me to kiss him and from that point on, he was my new love for when Oberon was away.
Theseus and I hit it off immediately. We would swim together, kiss, dance about, and he was a wonderful lover…weaving flowers into my hair and telling me how divine I was…we met often, and my faeries said nothing…if anything, they thought it my right to be happy, more so because Oberon was neglecting me.
Of course, when Theseus left to negotiate in Sparta, I was momentarily left alone, to await my husbands' arrival, for Theseus would not return for at least a year. To occupy myself, I doted upon my deceased companions' child, Rasmus. Yes, I gave the small child all he wished for, making a few of my Nymphs jealous, and apparently Oberon as well.
Yes, Oberon did show up a month later, in all of his pale, muscled glory, greeting me by spinning me around to face him. I gasped, "O-Oberon!" I said, my eyes growing wide as I looked him in the eye.
"Whom else would I be Wife?" He asked suspiciously. His silvery blonde hair was even longer, and he had grown taller…more powerful.
"No one…I was not expecting you to be back from your womanizing vacation however." I replied curtly, pulling from him.
His face clouded over "What?" He hissed, his eyes boring into my own, but I did not waver.
"You heard me, I know what you've been doing behind my back!" I hissed at him, stepping further backwards.
"What I have been doing! WHAT ABOUT YOU TEMPTRESS TITANIA!" He thundered, and I glared at him.
"What are you talking about? You speak nonsense." I said calmly, but he would here none of it.
"Duke Theseus is your beloved now, isn't he? I've heard as much, but never did I think you would kiss another! GOOD DAY madam, I am to return to India, but when I return…." He left the sentence hanging as he turned on me.